Philosophy 391 - 20th century Anglo-American Philosophy

Professor: William Sweet  
Office: 707 Nicholson Tower
Telephone: 867-2341
E-mail: wsweet@stfx.ca
Office Hours:  Tuesday 9.15-11.15; Wednesday and Thursday, 3:15 p.m.-5:00 p.m., and by arrangement



Course Description:  Presents some of the major currents of philosophy in the English-speaking world in the 20th century. The course includes a brief account of 19th-century empiricism, pragmatism, and idealism, before turning to ‘common sense analysis’ (e.g., G.E. Moore), and early discussions of logical positivism and the implications for metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics (e.g., Bertrand Russell, A.J. Ayer, and Karl Popper). The course concludes with a discussion of some major themes in Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations, and key texts in ‘ordinary language philosophy’ (e.g., Gilbert Ryle, P.F. Strawson, J.L. Austin) and reactions to it (e.g., W.V.O. Quine).



For the course readings, please see the stfx moodle page: http://moodle.stfx.ca
      
         For the course outline, please click here.

         For course notes, please click here